The invention relates to an operating mechanism for two panel-shaped elements which are movable, substantially in the plane in which they extend, between an operative position, in which they lie side by side in the same plane, and a parallel, stacked position, and which each co-operate with guideways by means of guide elements at their transverse sides extending parallel to the direction of movement.
An example of such panel-shaped elements are sun screens in an open roof construction for a vehicle. In their operative position, they lie side by side in the same plane, overlapping a roof opening formed in the roof of the vehicle. In this operative position, they perform their sun screen function. If the sun screens are not needed, they are moved in the guideways, substantially in the plane in which they extend, to their parallel, stacked position. An example of such an operating mechanism is shown inter alia in JP-11-217023.
It is an object of the present invention to further improve such an operating mechanism.
In order to accomplish that objective, the operating mechanism includes a first panel-shaped element that is provided with a connecting pin, which engages in a curved guide track formed in the second panel-shaped element. The curved guide track is so configured that when a force is exerted on the second panel-shaped element for the purpose of moving said element, a force comprising a force component transversely to the guideways will be exerted on the connecting pin. The guideways comprise a transverse guideway portion connecting thereto.
When, starting from the operative position of the panel-shaped elements, the second panel-shaped element is moved in the direction of the stacked position, the first panel-shaped element will be moved in the same direction together with the second panel-shaped element on the one hand, but on the other hand said force component transversely to the guideways will be exerted on the connecting pin at the same time. A corresponding movement transversely to the guideways of the first panel-shaped element supporting the connecting pin is initially prevented as a result of the cooperation between the guide elements thereof and the guideways. When the guide element of the first panel-shaped element reaches the transverse guideway portion, however, the aforesaid force component will cause the guide element in question to move into this transverse guideway portion, as a result of which the first panel-shaped element will be moved in a direction transversely to the guideways with respect to the second panel-shaped element. This makes it possible for the second panel-shaped element to be subsequently positioned beside the first panel-shaped element (in a stacked position).
Starting from the stacked position, in which the aforesaid guide element of the first panel-shaped element is present in the transverse guideway portion, an opposite movement of the second panel-shaped element in the direction of the operative position will result in a force component transversely to the guideways which is of opposite sense to the aforesaid force component. As a result, the aforesaid guide element will be moved out of the transverse guideway portion, after which the first panel-shaped element will move to the operative position together with the second panel-shaped element.
The movement into the transverse guideway portion of the guide element in question of the first panel-shaped element can be assisted in that the first panel-shaped element comprises two guide elements on each transverse side and in that the distance between one end of the guideways and the transverse guideways in question corresponds to the distance between said two guide elements.
Upon movement of the panel-shaped elements from their operative position to the stacked position, a guide element of the first panel-shaped element reaches the end of the guideway in question. At that point in time, the other guide element will be present at the location of the transverse guideway. In this way it is ensured that the latter guide element is actually moved into the transverse guideway and not past said guideway.
Furthermore it is advantageous if the curved guide track of the second panel-shaped element comprises a sloping starting portion and a portion connecting thereto, which extends parallel to the plane of the panel-shaped elements. The sloping starting portion provides the transverse force component, as a result of which the first panel-shaped element is moved in a transverse direction with respect to the second panel-shaped element. After this, the connecting pin will be positioned in the parallel end portion of the curved guide track, as a result of which the two panel-shaped elements will move past each other with an increasing degree of overlap, without any further changes in the spacing between the two elements occurring.
Furthermore, an embodiment of the operating mechanism according to the invention is possible in which the aforesaid end of the guideways, which is inclined, is present on the same side of the guideway in question as the transverse guideway portion. In this way a movement of the first panel-shaped element is effected in which not only the part thereof that is present at the location of the transverse guideway portion is moved in transverse direction, but also the part that is present at the end of the guideways. In this way, the first panel-shaped element is moved in a transverse direction as a whole.
At least a number of the guideways of the panel-shaped elements may be biased against the guideways. An example of this is a variant of an embodiment in which the guide elements of the second panel-shaped element consist of guide rollers biased by spring elements. As a result, it is inter alia possible to adjust the force required for moving, to compensate tolerances and to prevent the panel-shaped elements from vibrating undesirably and slanting with respect to the guideways.
In order to simplify the construction of the operating mechanism, it is further proposed that the guide elements of the two panel-shaped elements can engage in the same guideways. As a result, the number of guideways is reduced to a minimum.
Finally, a special embodiment of the operating mechanism according to the invention is mentioned in which the sides of the panel-shaped elements that face each other in the operative position thereof define a ventilating channel between them. This enables ventilation in the operative position of the space present under the panel-shaped elements.
In this framework it is furthermore preferred in that case if the aforesaid sides are configured such that the ventilating channel is curved so as to avoid the presence of a line of sight between the adjoining panel-shaped elements. In this way it is possible to prevent the entry of sunlight via the ventilation channel in an optimum manner, for example if the panel-shaped elements are sun screens.
The invention also relates to an open roof construction for a vehicle having a roof opening formed in the roof of the vehicle, which roof opening can be closed by at least one movable closure element, in which the closure element can be moved to a position in which the side thereof that extends transversely to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle and a correspondingly extending side of an adjoining portion of the open roof construction define a ventilation channel between them.
Preferably, said adjoining portion is also a movable closure element.
In this framework, the movable closure elements may be sun screens.